Dreamscape
by aquajogger
Summary: The changing of one point may alter many others... What would happen if one of Kharl's plans had worked out as intended? The result of a dream, a challenge, a nagging idea... Chapter 3: our distance and that person.
1. look over here

Because I seem to start one of these every summer.

Last year it was SSY, this time... I was wondering, what would happen if Thats got locked in the cave with Kitchel, as was intended. Combine that thought with the "20 Themes" challenge and a couple past dreams...

And there you have it.

My '05 Summer Project. I doubt it will be finished in time for summer of '06, but I'll try. And fail horribly. :laughing:

This won't just be about three characters trekking through some caves. That would be boring, wouldn't it?

The changing of one point can alter many others, and this should prove to be a fine example of that.

:n:

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Knights. Jeezus, must you people taunt me like this every time?

Warnings: Minor swearing, the taking and altering of an ending clip from Book 5: Treasure Hunt.

Note: This was beta-ed by Kayla. (ed: I tried my best!)

:n:

look over here

:n:

The sky was clear.

The budding blue of the vast sea's reflection shone in its noontime-high, edging around the few cotton white clouds that gave no hint to the storm that had wracked the night so few hours earlier.

A solitary island rested upon the rolling waves, seemingly uninhabited, save for the towering trees. Their leaves glistened a deep emerald in the wilderness, brushing softly against each other in the calm. Patches of dark rested in the creeping forest, casting their warm shadows under the overhanging boughs. A red-tinged plateau stood out as the one significant landmark in the oasis of greenery.

Then a tower of water erupted off of it, shining blindingly in the hot sun, and pouring down onto the startled land.

There was a rush of wind.

"Take this and," A young man, loose clothing drenched, hurriedly reached up, unfastening a simple gold necklace and quickly clasping it around the neck of his female companion, "jump right in!"

He stood with his two fellow travelers at the top of the dusty plateau, all three of them dripping with the clear water.

There was a menacing buzzing: three large and insect-like demons began to slowly advance on the two humans and one small faerie.

Without waiting to see how their hunters would react to this transfer of items, he shoved her into the hole leading to a vast network of underground caves by their feet, watching for a moment as she was swept away by the swirling water.

"Thatz, you bastard!"

He laughed at her yell, quickly directing the Water Light to follow after her, and then turned to face the three insect-like demons.

Their leader spoke, water dripping off its metallic face mask as it formed sharp, scratching words, each syllable as painful as jagged iron.

"The treasure is in there?"

Thatz took a half step towards the entrance, summoning his sword, the cast-metal blade the only thing dry in this still-drenched landscape. The sun's rays glinted off its surface as he held it out in a fighting stance and spoke clearly above the sound of the rushing water below ground.

"I don't know who you are or what you want with the treasure, but," he began to tip the sharpened point of his sword to the rocky plateau, his lips tugging upwards in a taunt smile, "The last thing a bunch of bugs are going to do is take my treasure."

In a swift movement he rammed the blade into the dirt, shouting and leaping backwards. He dove headfirst into the entrance to the cavern a moment before it was sealed by the sudden appearance of a huge rock-brown dragon splitting the ground open and crushing the small entrance with tons of dirt and rubble.

The demons staggered backwards; rocks flew through the air with the force of the small explosion. As the slabs hit the floor, some cracking and breaking, a thick wall of dust soared up, swirling around the elevated plain.

There was a second surge underfoot as the mighty dragon plunged back into the ground as easily as though it were water, its mighty form flying downwards to its master.

A harsh cough racked the clearing air as the debris began to settle once more.

"They've escaped."

The dust parted to reveal an insect-like form gliding forward, stilted black eyes glittering maliciously. It gave off a whirring noise, pinchers brushing against each other, as it surveyed the now-deserted landscape.

Then something piqued its interest.

Shining bronze and silver in the harsh sunlight, only slightly dimmed by the red dirt, a finely crafted blade quivered point-down in the rubble.

While the Knight and his companions had vanished, his sword had been left behind.

Slender claws brushed over the wrought metal, pausing a breath above the start of the sturdy hilt.

And a rusty laugh crackled through the land.

"How interesting."

The demon turned back to the two others, snatching up the weapon and holding it in unsuited dagger-edged claws. Beady eyes traveled over the piece of craftsmanship, scanning the sharpened edges and leather-bound hilt. They stopped on a series of fine runes carved at the bottom of the wide blade. They were delicately etched on, barely noticeable and not necessary, purely for display and decoration.

Had the demon a visible mouth, it would have turned up into a cunning smile. As it were, it merely raised its gaze to the others.

"We will report," it rasped, "to Lord Shydeman."

There was a lull as a breath of air whispered by, and the three servants were engulfed by a high delighted laugh.

"Wonderful!"

The image of the plateau, frozen in time, shimmered and vanished in a gasp of collapsing ash.

Kharl laughed again, his face lit up with an elated smile.

"Wonderful," he repeated, motioning the fallen ash to fall from his desk to the floor with a broad sweep of the hand.

The alchemist paused, a slow smirk beginning to taint his features.

"Perfect."

:n:

Author's Note: Okay, that was short. Really short. Shorter than most of the chapters will be. I just really didn't feel like rewriting the whole of Book 5, so... :shrugs: Sorry about that, at any rate. The next chapters will be longer, promise.

:n:

Okay, by now we all know the gig... Any and all complaints, compliments, criticisms, and comments can be filed via review.


	2. news: letter

Disclaimer: "...It is because of the fewness of women among them that the kind of the Dwarves increases slowly, and is in peril when they have no secure dwellings. For Dwarves take only one..." I don't own anything. Including the appendixes from LOTR.

Warnings: Minor swearing, tiny clip from Book 5 again, the altering of the beloved series of Dragon Knights.

Beta-ed by Kayla

:n:

news; letter

:n:

Alfeegi strode back and forth across the room. There was a tension to the air that he did not like. It was almost unnoticeable, faint, drifting in upon the winds that were coming uncharacteristically from the west.

From the sea...

He shook his head, willing his mind to focus on the more immediate matters at hand. There was work to be done in the castle, and this minor headache was not bad enough to excuse his lack of productivity.

The officer paused beside his desk, hand barely brushing against its polished mahogany surface. It hovered next to the ink well, half filled with the dark liquid, then pulled back.

He sighed.

The Dragon Lord was in a meeting about the hints of trouble they had been receiving from the north, and what he was feeling was just that: a feeling. It was nothing; nothing to base a report or send Dragon Fighters on a mission over. What would he recommend Tetheus have them search for?

Alfeegi shook his head, the nagging clouding of his thoughts beginning to clear. Pulling out a piece of official parchment, he picked up his quill, tapping it against the ink well once, twice, to remove any excess drops.

Then, still standing, he began to pen a brief memo to himself, noting down that if this vague premonition was still bothering him by the end of the day he would find an excuse to urge Tetheus to look into the activities along their western coast.

There was a soft knock upon his closed door. Not a loud announcement or proclamation, the sort that he himself was apt to give in order to attract the wandering attention of the other members of his clan, or the polite rap that Lykouleon might use to let his presence be felt. This was a quiet, muted, almost stroking tap.

Alfeegi turned towards the sound hesitantly and was startled at himself for doing so.

"Come in," he commanded.

The door swung open quietly, a tall and skinny man standing in the frame the space created.

Alfeegi stopped himself from raising an eyebrow questioningly as Avis Laira, the castle's head doctor, stepped into his study.

"What is it?"

The man moved closer towards him, almost unnaturally smooth eyes looking at him with consideration.

"I was wondering," he started in his low, soft voice, "Whether you had noticed anything... out of the ordinary."

Alfeegi narrowed his eyes slightly. While he had no reason to mistrust the other, his sudden appearance was beginning to make him uneasy.

"Why?" He asked curtly, casually covering his note with the blank sheet of paper lying next to it.

"No reason." The large, sad eyes met and held the White Dragon Officer's, seemingly searching his mind.

"It was just that I had heard a rumor."

A rumor?

"What? Tell me," Alfeegi snapped out of worried suspicion, immediately becoming once more the authoritative figure he was most often seen as.

Avis Laira was silent. Just as Alfeegi was going to command him to speak of what he knew, he began to talk in a soft, almost sing-song, voice.

"A rumor of Arinas. No, not of the lost continent. Of the islands between it and Dusis. Rumor has it that your Dragon Knight was seen headed over the ocean, towards the west."

Something stirred in the back of the Officer's mind.

'Your Dragon Knight'...?

It was pushed aside as the other man continued talking, almost in a whisper by this point.

"A rumor of battle. Of demons. Of falling." His voice was now echoing in the sudden still.

The air seemed cold.

"...Falling..."

Time snapped back to its regular pace, the faint background noises of birds in the gardens, maids hurrying down the halls, and someone whistling to themselves as they walked by under the window of the study penetrating the eerie silence, breaking it up into no more than a fragment of the imagination.

Alfeegi blinked his eyes open, not realizing they had been closed.

"Wh-what are you saying?" he asked, nerves both making his voice slip and his eyes narrow.

Avis Laira shrugged, his hands slipping easily into his pockets.

"I just thought you should know."

Suddenly, spontaneously, Alfeegi noticed that the doctor was fingering something, toying with it in his hidden hand.

Realization began to hit upon him, and he spoke harshly.

"What are you doing?"

Giving him an innocent look, pale eyes shimmering violet, the slender man withdrew a small...

Hazelnut?

Alfeegi stared at it.

What on Dusis was going on?

First the premonitions, then the convenient interruption and eerie conversation, now... This?

Taking it from the outstretched hand, he studied it briefly.

It did seem ordinary. Just a plain hazelnut.

On a sudden impulse, he held it up to the light streaming in through the window above his orderly desk.

It flickered.

Alfeegi began to cough, short gasps for breath as the oxygen in the room seemed to suddenly swirl with an abnormal amount of dust. Finally opening his slightly teary eyes, he looked up.

The message about Tetheus was gone from his desk.

He was alone.

Well, of course. Why wouldn't he be?

Puzzling briefly over his momentary thought that he had had company, Alfeegi coughed dryly again, brushing some of the still floating dust motes from the air around his face.

Hadn't there been something he had wanted to look into...?

"I'll have to talk to Cernozura about how the maids are cleaning this room," he muttered darkly.

:n:

"Lord Kharl!"

A short human boy, unnaturally colored hair lashing behind him as he ran, for all the world like the tail of an irate cat, shouted in the echoing stone hallways.

"Lord Kharl!"

He skidded to a halt, arms crossed over his thin chest, only slightly out of breath and sending a vicious glare to the yokai towering over him.

"Yes, Garfakcy?"

"What was that about?" He snapped, moving his hands to his hips, not at all daunted by the momentary irritated glance sent his way by the demon.

"What was what?" Kharl asked placidly, taking in with amusement the way Garfakcy twitched with annoyance at this obvious feint at ignorance.

"It's hard enough to deal with you when you're actually being stupid. You don't need to play at it as well."

The demon laughed at this: an odd blend of enthrallment and cool contempt.

"What were you thinking?" The human boy went on, pointedly ignoring his master's amusement, "You practically told," his voice rose with the emphasis and unconcealed disgust, "That Dragon what you were planning!"

Kharl stated calmly, "I did not."

Sweeping past his servant, long white robe brushing against the dirt-free floor, he continued talking, forcing the other to almost jog to keep up with his longer strides.

"I merely informed him of what I had heard. I never even mentioned what I had been working on. Besides, I erased his memory."

"Merely informed him of what you had heard, my foot," the boy muttered, choosing to ignore the other's last distracted protest.

"Garfakcy," Kharl smiled, his short attention span already starting to wander away from the topic at hand. "Did I show you my latest invention?"

"If you mean those capsules for carrying your spells, they aren't new and I'll be damned if I'll let you try them out on me."

The demon's smile drew tighter, the light in his eyes becoming more focused.

"No." Kharl paused in his stride, "It's something else. It is far more interesting that that."

"'Interesting?'" The human boy raised a questioning eyebrow, his previous anger ebbing suddenly away. "What do you mean? Lord Kharl?"

His response was the light facade of a laugh.

"You'll see."

:n:

"They did what?" A high, cold voice asked, dripping with unconcealed scorn.

"They opened a portal in order to return to Kainaldia?"

"Hardly unusual, Shyrendora," its counterpart spoke, the underlying rhythm and melody of the words eerily similar to the prior, while an octave lower. "They needed to report. And you cannot deny that what they had to say was not without value."

The two generals were speaking in a locked room, its plain white walls giving it a feel of thin sterilized clean, as if they had been recently bleached to eat away any hidden stains. The marble floor underfoot was icy to the touch; the dry air crisp.

Shydeman stood, walking smoothly over to the large arching window in the room, a pale hand reaching out to brush aside the long deep crimson curtains.

He cast a cool stare down upon the jagged Kainaldian landscape.

"They should not have opened a portal," Shyrendora continued, "The Dragon Clan is already aware of our activity. They should have returned as quickly as possible without use of excess magic that would draw attention to them."

"Then they would have been spotted as they flew overhead," he returned calmly, still gazing almost lazily at the ground far below.

When she did not respond immediately, instead glaring at the small of his back, Shydeman smirked to himself, the gesture apparent in his voice.

"But as it is, we not only know that the Dragon Clan's forces are disabled, we have received something that could... come in handy."

The chill in the air intensified: a frosting of winter's breath over thin glass.

It misted over, glinted off of, a small sheen of dusty metal barely visible under a loosely draped white cloth.

"Don't you agree, Shyrendora?"

:n:

A/N: Don't you love Kharl? He rules. Expect to see a lot of him in here. n-n While he won't be in every chapter, he will be making frequent appearances. n-n

:n:

Gack! I forgot to do this:trying to quickly add in:

Sarehptar: Really? You didn't like that book? I loved it. non I thought the Wings sequence was breathtaking. :still in love with it: And Kharl SHOULD appear more often. :gets annoyed waiting for him to be shown: He was in here a lot. n-n

Kayla:sweatdrop: Too lazy to write out the other name... Yup, this was the idea I was mentioning. XD And thanks for bugging me about getting you the next chapter!

Peophin-chan: I know what you mean. :nods: And this was soon. VERY soon for me, as I'm sure you know. XD It was longer, too. ..My friend always says "hobey-ho". But she also calls herself a "smelly smurf". o-oa :does not understand:

Angstluver: I'm glad you like it. n-n ...And that face (0o0) looks so cool... :gives biscuit for showing her the face:

Hououza: Thank you for the luck and wishes. I'm supposed to be doing a self portrait for art. I'm a bit nervous, as I need to use acrylic paint...:not sure how to do that:

Kage Tenshi: You have a cool name. n-n Hehe... This was VERY soon!


	3. jolt!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything:literally bouncing and randomly hyper:

Warnings: Language and... Fight scene? So... That would be "violence". Wow. I don't think I've ever had to put that as a warning before. :startled: Um, as always, the altering of Dragon Knights.

Beta-ed by: Kayla

:n:

jolt!

:n:

Delte gasped, backing up rapidly, pressed up against the edge of her stall. She could feel the smooth wood pressed firmly against her back and legs, her hands scrambling against it, attempting to grasp it for support.

They were shaking.

"Wh--"

Her voice seemed caught in her suddenly dry throat, the much needed words failing to appear.

"Wh-what are you..."

She stopped, breathing labored as the figure advanced towards her. Although he was shorter than she, the gray weapon in his hands spoke for itself, as did the deft way he handled it. A light mist, a dusting of ash, wavered in the air behind him.

"Stay still, Miss Fortuneteller," his voice was mocking, "Or I might accidentally slice your face as well as your throat."

The tension in the air was unbearable. The normally busy streets were suddenly deserted.

No...

No, they weren't deserted. If she strained, Delte could still see the shapes of people walking by outside, oblivious to the danger a mere ten feet away from them. They were blurred, however, their edges shaky, as if seen through thick glass.

There was a ward upon her stall, she suddenly realized, although she did not know when it had been placed there.

"That's right," Garfakcy laughed as he noticed what she was staring at, the sound chilling, "They can't see you. And they won't be able to hear you when you scream for your life."

He lunged at her suddenly, weapon pointed at her neck. In a fleeting instant Delte noticed with horror that while his face still held the innocent roundness of a child's, his eyes were filled with a deadly lust.

Delte jerked back, but found she was unable to move further away.

Her arm flew up in a futile automatic attempt to block the blow.

A bite stronger than that of any man-made metal tore through her arm and upper torso; she gave a piercing scream, one hacked short, and knew no more.

:n:

Tetheus took in the destruction, dark eyes cool; emotionless.

There had been a report of an attack in the middle of Chantel.

A demon attack, from what he had been able to gather from the frantic cries of the hysterical townspeople, although no one seemed to have actually seen the demon in question nor the attack.

Was it not for the minor oddities of the case, the Black Dragon Officer would have been tempted to call it a simple case of murder, and leave it for the town's officials to solve.

There had been an attack, however, that much was apparent. He glanced over the small fortunetelling stand once more. It did seem to have been involving some sort of demonic magic.

A smooth gloved hand felt the clean slash made in the wooden wall.

There had been no body recovered; a customer had simply entered to find a thick pool of slowly congealing blood and called for help. The Officer was certain that the victim was dead. A normal human could not lose as much blood as had been on the scene and still expect to live.

He was finding himself irked with the townspeople's lack of attention. How had no one noticed what had been happening? No one even seemed to be able to recall when the fortuneteller had last seen a client, although he had been able to pry a description of her from the woman who ran a stand across the road.

Young, female, with short brown hair, and a good-natured disposition... That could be any one of the hundreds of girls who poured into Dragoon's cities every year searching for a name for themselves.

Tetheus mutely shook his head.

He didn't have the time for this added task.

In addition to the numerous rumors of gathering demons and demonic energy, there had been a tsunami off the western coast that he wanted to look into. In fact, he had been faintly surprised that Alfeegi had not requested him to gather information on it. The White Dragon Officer typically spoke up when something as odd as this happened, and even Ruwalk seemed uncomfortable with the sudden disaster.

Alfeegi had merely brushed it off, however, not even seeming to register its occurrence.

Tetheus restrained himself from giving a sigh, kneeling down in the dust to take a closer look at the crime scene.

Perhaps he'd travel there anyway, once this was finished up.

Once this was finished up and he got his uniform to a cleaner's, he thought irritably to himself, brushing the clinging gray dust off his sleeves and pants legs. It seemed to stick to him, floating automatically to latch onto his form.

Now that Tetheus thought about it, it did seem odd. He hadn't noticed as much while he was still standing, but now that he could take a closer look...

He picked up a small amount of the gray substance between his thumb and forefinger, eyes flashing as it coated the fingers as if magnetized.

Ash.

But ash wasn't supposed to act this way...

Footsteps behind him alerted him to the presence of one of the Dragon Fighters he had selected to accompany him on the mission. Waving his other hand, Tetheus signaled the young man over.

"Sir?"

"Bring me a container," he spoke calmly, not taking his eyes off of the strange ash, "One with a tight lid. And tell the other two to remain at attention; they are not to leave the Darnias."

Tetheus waited for the young man to register the information before continuing.

"As soon as I finish drafting a report on this, we are going to look into the recent tsunami on the west coast."

"Wh-... Y-yes, sir!" The Dragon Fighter stammered, barely remembering to whom he was speaking, and only catching himself in the nick of time.

As the other ran off to relay the word to his comrades, Tetheus looked around the stall once more. There was something else here. It was hidden... But he could sense Spirit Tribe.

The young woman killed, he suddenly realized, was no mere showgirl. She had been one of the last remaining elves... and might have been known by the Dragon Knight of Water: the Elven prince Rune.

Both demons and Spirit Tribe... This suddenly gave this case a much higher priority. And since this fortuneteller had been killed in the very heart of Dragoon, it was a diplomacy issue as well.

He hated to do it, but he needed to send word to Kai-Stern. There were matters to be straightened out, and the Blue Dragon Officer was the only one for the job, the fact that he was on his own urgent mission was unavoidable.

"Damn," Tetheus sighed, narrow dark eyes closing briefly in annoyance.

This was an added burden he loathed to place on Kai-Stern.

At the moment, however, he could see the people crowding about on the streets (ignoring the protests of the slightly frantic Dragon Fighters), eager for a glimpse of the gruesome scene for its shock value, one that was bound to grow in the retelling.

Their bloodthirst disgusted him.

:n:

Something was falling apart.

That was what Zoma thought as he leaned on the balcony railing, brow furrowed and eyes trained to the clear blue sky.

It was a perfect summer's day...

But there was a tension to the air that unsettled the small demon boy, causing his mind to fill with worries, the vast majority of them unfounded.

A few of them, however, held solid ground.

He worried over what Rath had told him. Over what he had been asked to do.

This mere charade of pretending to be Rath stuck and bored in the Dragon Castle was proving to be hard enough. It was easier than he had expected, though, as Tetheus was out of the palace and Alfeegi had been oddly distracted.

Perhaps that was what was bothering him.

The usually highly astute Dragon Officer seemed different. While not absentminded or forgetful, he seemed more detached than usual.

It made Zoma uneasy, and he hoped it was merely a result of stress; they were all under a lot of strain recently.

He had a feeling they would be under a lot more before their problems got better.

:n:

"Lykouleon?"

Once out of the confines of the castle, Ruwalk fell back into his old habit of speaking to his friend informally, as they used to when they were younger or as they still did when Alfeegi or people they needed to impress were not within hearing.

"Do you find it odd that Alfeegi didn't argue against both of us going to Hermosa?"

The Dragon Lord glanced back at Ruwalk, blue-green eyes thoughtful.

"Yes."

"...Do you know why?" Ruwalk prodded gently, pulling his rough brown jacket on more fully and half regretting that they were forced to make the long trek to the Hermosa Kingdom in disguise.

Lykouleon sighed, the movement barely visible under the soft material draped over his shoulders. "No. I don't."

They walked a few steps in silence, the brisk air chilling through their layers of clothing.

"I found it odd, myself," he finally said, stirring up the conversation once more.

Ruwalk jumped on the words, glad for a chance to chase away the disquiet that seemed all the worse under the cold gray sky.

"True," he frowned, "Normally he would have made a racket about this. He'd have insisted that you stay at the castle. Or that he come in my place. And then he'd have spent at least half a day complaining about the amount of money that would need to be taken..." Ruwalk trailed off, training worried brown eyes to the sky.

"I don't know," he finally admitted, his breath misting out before his face. The temperature was slowly dropping as the day waned.

"And maybe I'm being foolish, but something just doesn't feel right."

:n:

"Huh."

Three chests, each about a foot tall, were resting on the floor of the deep cave. Surrounded by a pile of gold and other smaller treasures, Thats was momentarily surprised to note that the only things that appeared to be disturbed were their contents.

"I could've sworn she'd have taken more than just the Three Treasures," the Dragon Knight remarked to himself, casually stroking the now-small Earth Dragon seated on his shoulder.

He gave a half shrug and was about to follow the path leading away from the mounds of gold, when something caught his eye.

Nearly buried under a draping of silk and polished coins was the distinct glint of metal: a sword blade.

Moving slowly towards it and resisting the temptation to fill his pockets with as many treasures as he could carry, Thats slipped it out from under the rest of the stash.

There was a moment of tension as he first held the un-sheathed blade, holding his breath and half expecting a spell or curse to jolt his body.

When nothing happened, he relaxed.

"Thought it didn't look enchanted," Thats muttered to himself, recalling old advice given on magical objects, how to recognize them... and how to not come into contact with them if at all possible.

He set it down quickly, just to make sure he still could, and looked himself over. Yes... There seemed to have been no ill-effects, and he did need a new sword...

Laughing lightly at this stroke of good fortune, Thats picked it up once more, giving it an experimental swing.

The sword whistled cleanly through the air, the blade shining in the faint light filtering down to the cavern. A flicker of light blue ran down the keenly sharpened tip.

Thats laughed again, spirits rising at the lucky find.

"C'mon, Earth," he headed quickly down the winding passage, "We can't be that far behind them."

As their forms disappeared into the murky light, a strange chill crept into the cavern. Although there was no breeze, cold air could be felt slinking down into the caves, surrounding the remaining treasures.

A flicker ran through the air.

There was a low sigh of a moan, and the remaining gold collapsed into ash.

:n:

A/N:shifty eyes: Please, don't kill me. I actually don't hate Delte. :shifty eyes: I swear. I'd prefer she live, if only so I could admire her dress in Book 11. :loves the dress: And I, um, am still trying to learn to write fight scenes. :shifty eyes: You might say that I am highly, highly inexperienced...(ed: better than what I could do, I'm sure)

:n:

Animegoil: Ah! The writer of Creepy Nadil Kisses:bows: I'm very pleased you liked it. n-n Kharl rules. He's appearing in some fics, but he used to be in more, I think... :not sure as well: Anyway, he'll be showing up in here a LOT.

Angstluver: Awww, no cute face this time? XD Nah, s'okay. I'm glad you liked it.

Hououza: Whooo:holds up two fistfuls of Good Luck and Best Wishes: That was a lot to give me all at once, not counting the third helping later. o-Oa Ah, not like I'm complaining. XD

Kayla: I'd forgotten that you hadn't, actually... I mean, I did notice at first, but forgot. :blinks: Okay, that sounded a little conceited, but... Thanks for the beta job! (ed: I did my best)


	4. our distance and that person

Disclaimer: QED.

Warnings: Major scene changing, minor language/violence, messing with the DK universe, me not being able to read/understand my notes on what was originally supposed to happen in this chapter...

Note: Fire's cue cards read like this!

Another Note/These are thoughts/

Lastly: I continued my trademark naming of the Dragon Fighters. :sweatdrop: I hope no one minds, as this problem of what to do about them gave me a lot of trouble. I ended up deciding that I would be referring to them by "name" in here as well because they'll be sticking around for a long while. It'd just get too confusing otherwise, I thought. As before, the names -are- Spanish, so, if you know how, pronounce them as such. n-n;

:n:

our distance and that person

:n:

Laughter filtered back to Thats' ears and he nodded at the small dragon flying alongside him.

"That's them, all right." He quickened his pace slightly, not able to go quite as fast as he would like due to the still unsheathed sword in his hand. He glanced at it, and then spoke to Earth.

"Sorry about leaving your sword behind. I really didn't think that through."

Shrugging it off, Thats gave the blade another experimental swing. He was still pleased with his stroke of fortune, and a small waver of pride ran through him at the sight of the dim bluish light of the caverns rippling off its silver surface.

"I can't wait to see the Three Treasures," he remarked cheerfully, ignoring the minute sweatdrop that appeared on Earth's brow. "I wonder what they are. They've gotta be worth a fortune!"

Their path began to slope steeply downwards, and Thats stopped walking, squinting into the falling depths.

"There they are. Ringleys stands out in this dark. Jeeze, I hope the lighting gets better..."

He nodded to the dragon, now alighted on his shoulder.

"Come on, Earth."

The Knight and his dragon began their slow and not-quite-stable descent, picking their way slowly over the uneven slope, the wavering voices ahead of them acting as their guide.

"...Let's go."

:n:

There were a few clouds in the sky, thick heavy gray ones that gave false promises of rain to come, but they did little to block the sun.

They magnified the heat, trapping it under weighty gray wings, glinting the sunlight off and reflecting it back to the dusty road, if a road was what it could really be called.

Tetheus stepped smoothly out of the saddle of his Darnia, taking a few steps off the dirt path and letting the tall grasses on the rolling hillside brush against his black-clad legs.

"C-captain!"

He glanced over his shoulder at the young man riding up behind him, a few paces ahead of his two comrades. Dark liquid eyes turned back to the front, staring out over the short meters of land before it dropped suddenly off into a brief clifface leading down into the sea.

It was such a strange contrast from the miles of slowly undulating plains they had been riding through.

"Sir," the panting Dragon Fighter clambered ungainly off his own mount, tentatively stepping towards his commanding officer. "We've passed the turn-off for Luwa about a quarter of a mile back. I don't mean to sound..." he trailed off, regathering his thoughts as the other two Fighters dismounted behind him, equally out of breath but lending him courage. "It's just that it's getting later and it'll be night soon..."

"Not that you'd think it, what with this heat," one of the others muttered, wiping his forehead with his hand and grimacing at the dusty smear it left on the back of his white glove.

"I know," the third spoke up, leaning tiredly against his Darnia, eyes

closed and light blonde hair plastered to his forehead. "At least we're

riding, but the heat is awful!"

"Humidity, too. That's what really kills you."

"Yeah. I thought it was supposed to be cooler near the ocean..."

"It won't cool down much tonight, I bet." The first one remarked over his shoulder as he was distracted from his plea for a rest with the Dragon Officer, almond eyes straining to see directly behind him.

"The temperature won't change at all."

All three Fighters jumped at Tetheus' voice, looking guiltily at him and

trying to pretend that they had not just strayed so far off topic.

"...Sir?"

"It will still be this hot." Tetheus continued staring out towards the

Western Sea, not a flush nor a drop of sweat on his face showing that he actually felt the heat.

Without further explanation, he turned around, swiftly hoisting himself back up onto his Darnia and expertly maneuvering it around.

"You said there was a road to Luwa a quarter of a mile back? Good. Let's stay there for the night." Tetheus nodded curtly at the shortest of the three fighters, the one whom he had spoken to while in Chantel. "Ride ahead and get us lodging at the first open hotel you can find. Come back to find us once you have secured a key and given them the down payment on the rooms."

"Yes sir!"

The young man scrambled clumsily back onto his draconian steed, turning it about and setting off at a fast gait towards the coastal town, fine dust rising in his wake.

The sun slipped below the heavy cloud cover, giving the remaining two Dragon Fighters good reason to feel glad they were turning inland, away from the bright glare to the west.

They started off a slower pace, riding in silence for several minutes as the crisp sea breeze struck up, brushing the warm air about their forms.

"Captain?" The more outgoing of the two spoke, urging his Darnia a little faster until he was riding just short of Tetheus. "What are we doing tomorrow?"

He realized he was treading on thin ice, as Tetheus rarely divulged

information before it was necessary, and nearly never gave them much advance warning on what they were to be doing.

He was startled, therefore, when his query was actually responded to.

"I'll speak with the officials here tonight and arrange for them to provide us with a boat. We set sail early tomorrow morning."

The heat cast shimmering mirages across the ground; the air was flickering before their eyes.

The two Dragon Fighters cast each other apprehensive stares, but

neither saw the almost sympathetic glance tossed their way by their normally stoic leader.

A thin complaining rumble slid through the clouds above, but it brought no hope of rain.

:n:

"No! I don't feel like it!" Zoma shouted, hoping the panicky note wasn't too obvious in his voice and praying desperately for the maid outside his door to leave him in peace.

Rath and Cesia were still gone without any word, and he had barely enough of his hidden stock of morphweed to last him through a couple hours, much less the several weeks he feared he still needed.

Alfeegi's distraction had turned out to be a true curse in disguise, he

thought despairingly. While he hadn't picked up on his true identity yet, he was also now beginning to be more focused on the castle life as usual... And right when Zoma was starting to become desperate about his situation pretending to be Rath. Now he was stuck, with no one to call him on his act and no way to get the supplies he needed without being caught.

The soft click of footsteps, barely audible through Rath's thick wooden

doors, reached Zoma's ears and he breathed a tension-shaking sigh of relief.

"I feel kinda bad about that," he admitted, collapsing back onto the large bed, his small form washed out by the vast white sheets. "...But I'm sure Rath's done worse."

He rolled over onto his stomach, cradling his head in his arms and staring blankly at the cabinet directly opposite him. Glancing at the large mirror hanging above it, he saw Fire sweep in through the open windows behind him, dropping a sign as he landed at the foot of the bed. The dragon had been restless lately. He had been journeying out for longer periods of time each day, as though anxious to leave the castle for an unknown destination, but unwilling to disobey his master's command to stay with Zoma until they were discovered.

He was frustrated, and the young Yokai rarely saw him for more than an hour or two at a time.

Hello, Zoma.

"Hi." The little demon sat up, crossing his legs on the bed. "Listen," he

continued, "I've been meaning to ask you something..."

Fire cocked his head to one side, quickly scrawling on a second blank card.

What is it?

"Well," Zoma tripped over his words, their sound suddenly too arrogant to his own ears. He continued, however, blushing slightly and staring nervously at the ceiling.

"I was just wondering something about Rath."

His tone dropped and he sent a worried glance at the small crimson Dragon now watching him intently through concentrated black eyes.

"...He once asked me something, and I thought you might know what he meant. Also," Zoma paused momentarily again.

"Last night, I had this dream... I dreamt that I saw a forest, covered with snow. It was calm and still, almost unnaturally so. I don't know where it was, but it looked... familiar."

Zoma was uncomfortably aware of the quiet of the room, of the way his voice was the only audible noise apart from the soft creak of the mattress as he shifted his weight nervously. He clenched and relaxed his fists in the white sheets, taking a soft breath before continuing.

"A man was walking out of the trees and his face was turned away, so I couldn't see who it was. Not at first."

He smiled almost sadly at the bed, glancing at the intent form of the small red dragon.

"I barely remember what he looked like. The whole dream is blurry around the edges, as if I was looking at it through the room in the mirror. It sounds kinda silly," Zoma laughed suddenly, rubbing the back of his head in a nervous gesture. "But he looked like Rath, and I thought that maybe..."

The little demon trailed off, suddenly switching tracks.

"But it reminded me of something Rath once told me. Fire," he looked up once again, holding the dragon's gaze, "Rath asked me to be his second."

Outside a songbird began its warbling tune, fluttering notes giving a stark contrast to the sudden tension in the room. It was ice on fire, and the rising steam created a mist between the two thinly separated worlds.

"It wasn't that long ago," Zoma continued, his voice dropping slightly with the weight of what he was saying. "Right before I was able to walk, and only a couple days after that, Rath left. So I never got to ask him what he really meant... But I think I already know."

He paused, grouping together his thoughts.

"It's... It's got something to do with Cesia, doesn't it, Fire? I don't know much about what's going on," he gave the same upturning of lips to the bed sheets, but the move was still taunt. "But Rath and I are connected somehow. I feel like I can almost see what he's thinking at times, but there's this barrier up. I'm useless. I've always been--"

Zoma cut himself off, biting his lower lip slightly, then continued, softer.

"What I meant to ask was if you knew of anyone else who was connected to Rath like that. Rath mentioned... Well, not really, but he implied... That there was someone else who was a part of him. He's out there, somewhere, and he's got power, more power than..."

The room was quiet once more, both the dragon and Yokai lost within their own searching thoughts. The faint nature sounds outside seemed lulled as well, the birds momentarily silent.

"You're trying to find someone too, aren't you, Fire?"

Zoma smiled softly, the action finally genuine, as the dragon started, caught off guard.

--What!

Almost as soon as the card was raised, a second followed it, the messy scrawl smaller than normal.

...Yes. I am.

Dragon and demon stared into each other's dark eyes, a small bond slowly closing the gap between them.

Zoma laughed suddenly, the sound rending the tense ties weighting down the air.

"We're both stuck here. Useless."

:n:

The waves were quickly rising.

The water had turned vicious, great churning masses of icy weight, stirred up by the sudden shift in weather.

It was unnatural.

The steel gray of the waves yanked at the suddenly flimsy wooden boat, their spray stinging as it struck bare flesh in the whipping wind. The wind itself was volatile, tearing at the mast and battered sail. It ripped the once-pristine fabric in a long gash.

"Officer Tetheus!"

The fighter's words were slapped back in his face with the torrent of rain, cutting hail beginning to hit and dent the deck, bits of wood splintering away.

Tetheus felt a chill trail through his body, one that had little to do with the icy water or slicing wind.

It was unnatural.

This sudden storm, this rush of waves and wind, the plummeting temperature.

A stinging sliver of ice grazed his cheek, drawing a bloody path down the high arch of his face.

The rain would wash it clean. The rain or the salty waves.

"Commander!"

He vaguely registered the words and only felt the hand grasping his forearm as a brush against his soaked sleeve.

"Officer Tetheus!"

It was with a forced jerk that he brought himself back, shaking off the numbing chill that was drenching his mind.

This was a boundary: a demon aura.

It was a powerful one, wide and thick, with the rush of the storm barely masking it for its true form.

He heard a muffled shout and a low taut moan.

Attention immediately sharpened, Tetheus whirled around as the wooden mast started to lean heavily to the side.

"Get out of the way," he shouted, grabbing suddenly onto the side of the boat as a particularly forceful wave rattled it.

He had closed his eyes as the salty water washed over him, the cut on his face stinging harshly with the wave, and now opened them again as the small craft lurched in the opposite direction. The remaining weakened timbers began to snap, and the tall mast slowly toppled forwards, dragging the battered sail down with it.

"H-hey!"

Tetheus heard a startled yelp and noticed one of the luckless Dragon Fighters, brown hair tousled and matted from the wind, grabbing desperately at the slippery railing behind him. Wide eyes were trained even larger on the sight before him and he shouted again, mirroring his leader's previous command.

"Hey, get outta the way!"

A tug of fear tore its way acidly through Tetheus' veins and he whipped his head about to see the small figure, pale hair and skin washed out against the navy uniform clinging to his frame, standing motionless directly in the path of the tilting mast.

"Caracas, move!"

A second voice took up its own wavering plea, but the Fighter did not respond. His eyes were glazed, unseeing, their pupils shrunk in their thin blue irises, a waxen flicker of red shining at their edges. Hail struck his arm but the brief note of pain did not register.

He slid further forward as the boat continued to roll, now pressed up against the iron railing, the slick bars the only things preventing him from plunging into the tempest-lashed waters.

There was a final jarring crack as the final slivers of wood splintered, the entire beam plummeting downwards to smash against the remnants of their craft and the churning depths.

Tetheus growled, the sound inaudible above the shouts and rushing wind.

"Damnit."

He leapt forward, skidding down the sharply angled deck and roughly tackled the young man, pushing off as the mast crashed down behind them. It shattered the wooden planks underfoot, tossing all four of them backwards as an explosion of ice and wood and iron railing rent the air.

Pale eyes cleared with a jolt as Tetheus and his charge hit the dashing waves.

"I--" Caracas opened his mouth, startled, then closed it quickly again as near-freezing water washed over his head, pulling him further underneath the surface.

Tetheus caught a momentary glimpse of the other two scrambling at the crests of the deadly waves, making grabs at anything that appeared to be partially buoyant.

Apart from the deadly chill and the downwards pulling current, it was calm beneath the surface. The crest of the storm burst upon the dark water, leaving something entirely different, although far more dangerous in its own way, below.

/But then/ thought Tetheus wryly/that's how it always is, isn't it/

Kicking upwards, he broke surface, hauling the semi-responsive Dragon Fighter with him and latching onto the half of the broken mast the two others had managed to grab hold of, head pounding painfully from where the explosion had knocked him into some other flying object.

Part of the hull, he guessed, judging by the sharper pieces of rubble swirling around them.

Caracas coughed, choking on the salty water. The sound caused Tetheus to glance quickly down at him before bracing himself as a sodden beam smashed against the barely floating mast he was clinging to.

He heard a muffled yelp: one of the Dragon Fighters was shoved roughly beneath the waves, only to be mercifully tossed back up as the water plunged and rolled, cracking his head sharply on the debris.

"Hold on tighter!" Tetheus shouted, a low growl escaping his clenched teeth as he watched the torrent gain in power. These young men were his responsibility, but he was helpless against this ravage of nature.

/No/ he thought again/this isn't natural./

It was a demonic spell, that he had already determined, one created to keep wanderers out of the lost continent of Arinas.

/What is there/ Tetheus wondered fleetingly before hitting upon a more worrying question.

/Who is there/

This would have to remain unsolved for the moment. There were far more pressing matters to attend to.

"Quito!"

The frantic cry was enough to bring a searing rage to his already elevated heartbeat. He was good at controlling his emotions, but this inability to fulfill his responsibilities and protect those under him was tormenting.

Were he still fully demon he might have been able to slip them through the boundary undetected.

...Could he still?

/It's worth a chance/ Tetheus thought grimly/as nothing else is./

Shoving Caracas away from him, pushing him sputtering up against the mast, Tetheus launched himself away from it, immediately yanked beneath the churning surface.

Struggling to bring his arms in front of his body amidst the wreckage and currents swirling about him, he hastily tore at the high neck of his overshirt, nearly frantic in his movements to undo it. Tetheus felt the pressure surrounding him increase as he was dragged steadily downwards, a sharp gasp of air escaping him as he finally managed to unfasten the intricate clasps, ripping it past his collarbone.

The dim light above him fading further, his hand grasped a silver chain strung around his neck, fingers feeling for the deep red stone he knew adorned it.

He found it, twisted around to his back, and brought it forward, immediately yanking it away from his body.

There was no time to think about what would happen.

The chain snapped, silver links flying through the water, intermingled in sharp contrast with his blood.

The amulet slowly fell from his fingers, and Tetheus opened his eyes.

The red glow cut eerily through the dark water wrapped about him.

He snapped his head towards the surface, and raised one hand.

Above the water, Caracas suddenly gasped, all three Dragon Fighters stiffening as a tremor of power ran past them.

"What was--" Quito was cut off by a startled exclamation from the third, dark hair partially obscuring his eyes.

"Land! There's land!"

"What are you talking about, Paz?" Caracas shook his head. "We're in the middle of the ocean..." He trailed off in amazement as he caught sight of the surprisingly close landmass.

"Hey," Quito let go of the mast with one hand to wipe water from his eyes. "The rain's stopped."

The other two looked up at the quickly clearing sky in wonder.

"Wow."

As they continued to drift steadily towards the island, now in plain sight of a curved sandy shore, Caracas spoke up again, once misted eyes now clear.

"...Where's Officer Tetheus?"

A troubled silence fell over the trio as they simultaneously peered behind them, looking back where they had been wrecked.

The waters were calm and impassive: no sign of their commander could be seen.

The raucous calls of seabirds could be heard once again, and the last clouds faded mysteriously from the late morning sky. Trees could now be clearly seen lining the shore, apparently the only stretch of sand along the island's rocky coasts. Tall mountains loomed within the thick forests inland, and they gazed up at a strange red plateau, wonder blossoming over their fear.

This was a strange new land they were about to set foot on.

The water was getting shallower, now appearing cyan beneath their drifting forms instead of navy.

"…You think we should swim?" Paz finally asked, breaking the overpowering sense of pristine calm that had engulfed them. "We're getting pretty close, but if we keep drifting like this, I think we'll miss the shore."

Caracas nodded, the water drying in the sun on his face quickly turning to fine salt.

"Sounds good. Quito?"

The third nodded, glancing again over his shoulder, looking out at the slowly rolling waves behind them. The sea was appeased.

He turned around again as his two companions released the mast, starting their swim towards the shore now no more than forty yards away.

"Hey, wait for me," he called, quickly following them, abandoning thought of what had just happened. There would be plenty of time for that later.

It was Caracas who first touched ground. His feet kicked against the fine sand beneath them, and he was startled to find that he could stand. His elated cry attracted the attention of the others, and he watched as they attempted to do the same and laughed as Quito sunk momentarily beneath the waves only to reappear sputtering and red, complaining about being too short.

The three waded quickly out of the water, shaking the salty liquid out of their hair and shivering in the light sea breezes.

Paz yanked off his uniform top, wringing out an abundance of water and snapping the drenched material in the quiet air.

"So what do we do now? We've got here, but…" He turned around to see Quito, golden hair plastered to his head, staring back out at the ocean and white-tipped waves. He sighed, the noise a low waver in the wind. "Hey, c'mon. We can't stay here. We gotta find a place to shelter. Something to drink would be nice, too."

Caracas shook his head, following the other's gaze towards the horizon.

"You're right. I can't believe it, though. It seems like a year since we left Luwa. Not a couple days."

There was a tense lull in their conversation, the three of them lost in their numbed thoughts.

The Fighter spoke up again.

"I was thinking that we should head into the forest. I'd like to see what's at the top of that red mountain."

"I was hoping one of you would say that."

They started, spinning about and staring wide-eyed into the edge of the foliage as a tall and faintly worn figure stepped out.

"Captain!"

Tetheus gave a curt nod, training his slight smile to the sandy ground as the three Dragon Fighters broke out into excited chatter.

"I knew he'd make it here! There was no way he could've simply died!"

"Yeah, he's definitely got too much skill for that."

"Great, now that we've found him, we can take a break. I'm starving."

"Take a break? Are you insane? He's a slave driver!"

"Captain? Sir? You said we were going to climb the mountain?"

Tetheus looked up at the young man standing before him, meeting his questioning almond eyes.

"Yes." Turning around, the Dragon Officer tilted his face to the bright sky, focusing on the tall plateau. It would be a long hike, but they should be able to make it before sunset, provided they weren't too distracted.

"Be on the lookout." His voice was low, warning. "This is Arinas. Demons won't hesitate to attack." He stepped forward, making his way back into the forest with the other three quickly following.

There was a last nervous whisper and a shaky laugh before they fell silent.

/Good/ thought Tetheus/but it's unnecessary./

Sharply heightened senses informed him of their precarious position. They were being watched, but nothing was likely to attack them, not now.

It was that night that they'd have to worry about, when the land was shrouded in black and the darkness whispered of this strange infidelity into waiting ears.

He was a demon, after all, and he was attracting a lot of attention to himself.

:n:

"Is this… Magic?"

The words rang in Gil's mind as his single golden eye snapped open, staring at the rough wooden ceiling. His breathing was hard and his voice shook slightly as he spoke.

"What was that? A dream?"

He rolled onto his side, startled to find himself lying on a soft mattress instead of the hard forest floor. Shaking violet hair from his face, he remained otherwise still, letting the silent words whisper to his room once again.

/Is this magic/

A dragon. He had seen a dragon.

He hadn't even thought of the semi-mythological creatures since before he had been captured on one of his frequent journeys around their mountainous land. When he was younger, he had harbored a wish to see one of them someday, perhaps voyaging to the capital of Draqueen to do so. It was yet another dream that had gone unfulfilled and ignored with his painful transformation at the hands of the Alchemist.

To see a dragon, even in sleep, brought a tinge of hope to him. Perhaps not all was lost.

But even as he thought back to his dream, the image faded into a vague red shape. It stirred something within him, but that yearning was greatly overshadowed by what he could still clearly remember.

Garfakcy, Kharl's minion had spoken to him, presenting him false hope of ever being human—of ever being normal—again.

/It isn't true/ Gil reasoned, scolding himself harshly. /It's just one of their ploys. They want me to dance for them, to carry out their twisted work./

This thought firmly imbedded in his mind, he stood, stretching, and trying his best to ignore the nagging flicker of doubt cast upon his logic.

Kharl was powerful.

And to be human again…

The sun outside shone waxen through the thin gray clouds surrounding the mountain town. It was already getting colder: their brief summer was at an end and autumn was rapidly encroaching upon them. Winter was coming.

The cold weather reminded Gil of past years spent wandering at his own whim without the uncertainty and self-loathing it brought of whether or not he would be in control of his psyche the next day, hour, minute.

The snow hadn't cut his skin as it landed softly upon him, and the distant murmurs of passing travelers hadn't alerted him to his despised bloodlust.

When winter fell, the air would be clear.

To be human would be worth anything.

:n:

The land was still.

The air was thin and heady this high off the ground, and the dust that swirled about their every step was light. The reddish dirt stretched in a wide circle, jagged rocks thrown up in its center like a crimson megalithic site, torn down by rages of time. The sharp edged boulders disturbed the eerie calm of the plateau, casting long shadows where the sun normally faced no resistance.

"Are you sure this is the right place?"

"I hope it is! It took so long to climb up here...

"But weren't we looking for information about the tsunami? What does this place have to do with it?"

"I'd be satisfied just to learn how to move those clouds just a little to the right... The sun's so bright..."

Tetheus ignored the tired chatter of two of the Dragon Fighters. They had come a long way in a short time and needed to relax a little or risk burning out. Besides, he had more important things to worry about than the inane conversation being carried on behind him.

He strode towards the center of the plateau, pausing at the first outcropping of dirty rock.

"Do you feel that?" He asked calmly to the young man behind him, knowing the answer before it was received by the slight tense to his form as Caracas stepped closer.

"...Yes."

Tetheus nodded, the action slight and not meant for outside confirmation of his conclusions.

"I thought so." He glanced briefly at Caracas, watching as his fair skin flushed from the late afternoon sun and sudden tension to the air around the stones.

"But I didn't realize that since there had been so much going on," he continued calmly, "it had somehow slipped my mind."

The Dragon Fighter started, pale eyes widening, his head snapping around to stare at his commander.

"S-sir, I..."

Cutting off his stuttering excuse, Tetheus turned around, speaking sharply to the other two in order to attract their wandering attention.

"Stop fooling around and come over here."

Startled, the other two walked quickly over, looking curiously at the jumble of stones.

"Demons have been here," Tetheus explained shortly, "powerful ones. Not the scum that hide out on this island. But also," he stepped slowly forward, letting the tense chill of the Demon Aura seep over him as he broke through it. "Dragon Clan."

Kneeling on the ground in the center of the boulders, the Officer's eyes widened minutely.

"Strange," he murmured to himself, tracing a bare finger across the smooth ground. "It's almost as if they…" Standing suddenly, he turned away from the other three, looking towards the far side of the ring of stones.

"Get back." His voice was tense, harsh.

"…What?"

"I said," Tetheus whipped about, his eyes slowly pulsating crimson, "to get back!"

A tremor of power rushed through their surroundings, a chill wind whipping up around them. One of the Fighters gave a startled yelp as the air in front of them flickered and spun, twisting around on itself into a distorted spiral, giving off a paranormal violet light and growing ever larger.

The world flipped upside down and Tetheus heard muffled shouts as the land rushed by, lit up by the inverse lighting.

He caught a glimpse of a distant black lake and dark forest.

They had entered Kainaldia.

:n:

It was only the space of a few still-smooth breaths later, the cyan lighting of the caverns barely brighter as the ground straightened out into a wider passageway, when Thats caught up to the other two.

Grinning in the dim light, he snuck up to them, muffling his footsteps within their cheerful chatter. He was able to get within a foot away from the girl in front of him unnoticed and, leaning forward and suddenly placing his hands on her shoulders, spoke for the first time, his mouth next to her ear.

"...Hey."

Kitchel jerked, eyes wide and spun about, kicking him harshly in the leg as Ringleys yelped with shock.

"Thats! Stop that!" She paused, confusion making her suddenly calmer.

"What are you doing here, anyway? I thought you were going to fight the demon bugs."

"Nah," he waved his hand casually, wincing slightly at the sharp pain. "I figured out a way to close off the tunnel after me, instead."

"Oh," Kitchel nodded, beaming. "Great! Now you can carry this!"

She shoved her bag at him, sending him stumbling a foot backwards with the weight being forced into his arms.

"Hey! ...The treasures are in here?"

"Yes. And you're not allowed to touch them." Kitchel turned back in the direction she had been walking, flipping her short hair over her shoulder.

"Why not? I found them too!"

"Only because you were assigned to come with me. This was my mission, and those are my treasures."

"Your treasures? If it wasn't for me, you'd be demon food by now. They're mine as much as yours!"

Ringleys piped up. "I thought they were Lord Lykouleon's?"

Two thieves sent him withering looks.

"Hush."

"Shut up."

Ringleys sweatdropped, shrugging to himself and slowing down slightly to fly behind the other two as they continued their rapid bickering.

"Fine, fine..."

He shivered slightly and looked back over his shoulder but did not see the flicker of ash in the distance or the way the light, cast liquidly over their surroundings, seemed to glare from the unsheathed blade being carried before him.

"Hey, Ringleys!" Kitchel's voice called back to him as he trailed further behind, "hurry up!"

As the Water Light darted forwards once again, Thats cut short his insult to add to her call.

"Yeah. Let's go."

:n:

A/N: ...I just reread the other chapters. I had no idea how creepy sounding they were... o-Oa

:n:

Hououza: Well, they were reunited. n-n I wonder how long it'll take before they start trying to steal the treasures from each other... :sweatdrop: Well... Rath was gonna be in here(Actually, so were Lykouleon and Ruwalk, but...). Then I realized how freaking long this chapter was. -.-; I was tired, and decided to move him back to the next one. So he'll be in there...

Peophin-chan: ...:checks: Yes, you did forget. XD S'okay. Major plot? Yessss... - Good God, I'm getting really confused already, and this is only the fourth chapter. -

DragonessFei: I love the name, btw. It still always reminds me of Nataku from GWing. non Don't worry, I plan to continue. ...At this rate, I plan to still be continuing when I'm in college. -.-

Kayla: You DID e-mail me. XD Thank you for that, btw. It reminded me yet again that I need to work on this more... And thanks for beta-ing, as always!

:n:

. That was longer... I ended up putting off so many other fics to get this one chapter done... . Review, please? Comments are helpful!


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